# Are the Mounties Still Mounted? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 25, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576 "2009-08-25T00:28:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UncleFred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/1 "2009-08-25T00:28:25Z")
Does the RCMP still use horses for any active policing duty, and beyond anything other than ceremonial purposes? A visit to their website, and a peek at wikipedia, imply they only have a ceremonial unit, the “Musical Ride”. Also they offer to train mounted units from other forces. If they don’t still have an active unit - when did they stop? Mounted units aren’t necessarily obsolete - until recently I believe the Massachusetts State Police had a mounted unit that was very practical for things liike crowd control and off-road searches. (PS I’m aware Canada has police forces other than the RCMP.) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/2 "2009-08-25T00:33:53Z")
I don’t beleive so. According to the RCMP website they haven’t used horses in duty since before World War II. There are mounted cops in Canada, but mostly in big cities, and of course big cities have their own police forces so the RCMP would have no role in such things. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/3 "2009-08-25T00:38:37Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I don’t beleive so. According to the RCMP website they haven’t used horses in duty since before World War II. > > There are mounted cops in Canada, but mostly in big cities, and of course big cities have their own police forces so the RCMP would have no role in such things. I have an amazing photo of 2 Toronto Police Service mounted units giving a ticket to a car (pulled over) on the side of the road. It’s quite amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/4 "2009-08-25T01:02:31Z")
I thought they were, I’ve seen some at times, but thinking on when I’ve seen them it was ceremonial. According to their [website](http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/fs-fd/ride-equitation-eng.htm) equitation was discontinued in 1966 for new members. So unless they sign up for the musical ride, they don’t get that training. However, there _is_ a mounted unit in [Calgary](http://www.calgarypolice.ca/sectionsandunits.html#mounted) (not RCMP, city police). They travel the paths in the parks and certain streets. As I understand it, they are excellent for riot situations. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/5 "2009-08-25T01:31:23Z")
The Vancouver Police Department also has mounted police - they are quite impressive for crowd control. We’re [getting some more](http://www.theprovince.com/recruits+boost+mounted+police+presence+Vancouver/1891745/story.html), in preparation for the Olympics next year. As for the RCMP, it’s rare to see them doing regular police work on horseback, despite what you may have gathered from _Due South_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/6 "2009-08-25T02:11:43Z")
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**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/7 "2009-08-25T02:47:40Z")
Today, the Mounties are more or less Canada’s FBI (with a touch of the CIA, too). Horses wouldn’t be much use to the FBI, would they? ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/8 "2009-08-25T02:49:40Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Today, the Mounties are more or less Canada’s FBI (with a touch of the CIA, too). Horses wouldn’t be much use to the FBI, would they? I’m not so sure that’s true - they largely serve as the police force for the vast majority of canada which isn’t under the control of a large-enough jurisdiction, right? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/9 "2009-08-25T02:50:35Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > I have an amazing photo of 2 Toronto Police Service mounted units giving a ticket to a car (pulled over) on the side of the road. It’s quite amusing. Do you have it on your computer? You should share it with us. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/10 "2009-08-25T02:51:53Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Do you have it on your computer? You should share it with us. 🙂 let me go dig it up… ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/11 "2009-08-25T03:01:09Z")
[http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2226/tps.gif](http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2226/tps.gif) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/12 "2009-08-25T03:12:38Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > I’m not so sure that’s true - they largely serve as the police force for the vast majority of canada which isn’t under the control of a large-enough jurisdiction, right? That was my understanding as well. Criminal law (e.g. murder, kidnapping, assault, etc.) in Canada is a national thing and the Mounties enforce it outside of the larger cities and towns. So they are also the equivalent of the various State Patrols in the US. How about dog sleds? Is Sgt Preston still mooshing around the Yukon these days? Or has King been retired in favor of snowmobiles? ---
**Author:** ![AHarris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@AHarris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHarris)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/13 "2009-08-25T04:11:22Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > That was my understanding as well. Criminal law (e.g. murder, kidnapping, assault, etc.) in Canada is a national thing and the Mounties enforce it outside of the larger cities and towns. So they are also the equivalent of the various State Patrols in the US. Not quite, the RCMP provides provincial and municipal policing on a contract basis. The provinces and territories are free to setup their own police forces to handle crimes if they want. Only Ontario and Quebec have their own police forces at the moment. In areas where they aren’t contracted to provide policing, they still police the ‘national mandate’ (white collar crime, national security issues, etc) For more information: [http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/fs-fd/corporate-collectif-eng.htm](http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/fs-fd/corporate-collectif-eng.htm) IMHO, the state/federal divide isn’t as strong in Canada as it is in the US (ie all murder is covered by the federal statute). ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/14 "2009-08-25T04:14:19Z")
The analogy I use is that they’re kind of like a combination of state troopers, US marshals, the FBI and the Secret Service. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/15 "2009-08-25T04:29:19Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > The Vancouver Police Department also has mounted police - they are quite impressive for crowd control. We’re [getting some more](http://www.theprovince.com/recruits+boost+mounted+police+presence+Vancouver/1891745/story.html), in preparation for the Olympics next year. I’m pretty sure all big cities have mounted units. You can go into the horse barn in Toronto and pet the police horses. A man on horseback who’s pissed off at you is still terrifying to a person on foot. It’s very intimidating, and any city worth its salt will have mounted police for crown control. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/16 "2009-08-25T10:50:05Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’m pretty sure all big cities have mounted units. You can go into the horse barn in Toronto and pet the police horses. > > A man on horseback who’s pissed off at you is still terrifying to a person on foot. It’s very intimidating, and any city worth its salt will have mounted police for crown control. I still remember the 9th inning of the last game of the 1980 World Series. Normally, you’d expect Philadelphia fans to swarm the field the moment the Phillies won the World Series, but there were dozens of mounted cops on the field, just DARING someone to leave the stands. Yeah, mighty intimidating. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/17 "2009-08-25T11:53:02Z")
Incidentally, there are auxiliary police on horseback in New York City. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/18 "2009-08-25T11:54:21Z")
Forgot to include this: > **[New York City Parks Enforcement Patrol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Parks_Enforcement_Patrol)** > > The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation maintains a unit of full-time and seasonal uniformed officers who enforce parks department rules and regulations, as well as New York State laws within the jurisdiction of New York City parks. Established in 1981, NYC Parks Enforcement Patrol officers patrol on foot, bicycle, horseback, and in marked vehicles. Parks Enforcement officers are responsible for protecting NYC Park land, waterways under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and... ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/19 "2009-08-25T13:53:10Z")
Montreal has a municipal police force with some mounted police, but I have never seen them except on Mt. Royal where, I believe, they are largely ceremonial. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576/20 "2009-08-25T15:21:43Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Incidentally, there are auxiliary police on horseback in New York City. There are two mounted forces in NYC. The Mounted NYPD has a primarily street patrol and crowd-control function. They are not an “auxilliary” or volunteer unit - they are a fulltime professional division of the NYPD and are considered an elite unit actually. However, The Mounted Park Rangers (AKA NYC Parks Enforcement Patrol Mounted Auxiliary Unit), are an auxiliary patrol force made up of volunteers. They have no law enforcement authority. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mounties-still-mounted/507576.md?page=2)